LAUDERDALE

The Ironman event is always held on Memorial Day Weekend. For complete info on the event go to the National AAU web site: www.aausports.org Here you will find the tournament flier, age and weight divisions, and an entry form.

This years AAU Ironman World Championships will be held in Alcoa Tennessee at their new Athletic Venue (VERY IMPRESSIVE!) This event has open divisions for age 19 - up. For more info contact the Knoxville Sports Corp. or e-mail me at seaauwrestling@chartertn.net

Tim Pittman is the Tennessee AAU Freestyle Chairperson. We will probably organize our Team Tennessee the same way we did last year. You may also contact me, Darrel Lauderdale for further details on Team Tennesse: SEAAUWRESTLING@CHARTERTN.NET For JO Tournament Information, go to aausports.org.

I know the the TSSAA, Jefferson County H.S., and Coach Turley will come up punishments for Scooter. I also know that Scooter will take his medicine, but I feel an over-dose (year ban on wrestling) is not the answer. Hey Smokediver, would you be willing to share your self-control methods with Scooter? If you have felt like him but failed to act, share your secret with Scooter. Make him a better person and wrestler. Give him some advice and work with him. Would you be willing to do that? I can set it up and would be more than happy to do so! [Edited by LAUDERDALE on 2-20-03 1:49P]

I in no way condone Scooter's actions. Did he disgrace his school? Yes. Did he disgrace his family? Probably. Did he kick over my scoreboard? Yes. Was I happy? No. WOuld I be upset at one of mine? YES. WOuld I never allow that kid to wrestle again for me? It would depend on his history. Before those of you who love to pass judgement pass one on Scooter, I believe you need to do some research on Scooter and check the history of his athletic involement/actions in other sports. Scooter is not the only wrestler in Tennessee that has ever "toyed" with a weaker opponent. Most do it to get a work out in, only a few, that I have seen, have done it in an unsportsman like manner. I would rather mine pin them and get off the mat, but alot of kids today would rather Tech Fall than pin someone. Everyone makes mistakes. EVERYONE! Scooter made his with thousands of people watching. Have you ever made a mistake? Have you ever thrown a temper tantrum? Done something stupid like punch a wall, floor, or someone else? Driven your car while angry? Hit your kids out of anger for something that normally would not had bothered you but you came home in a bad mood because your boos chewed your tail? Were you given a second chance? Where you given some help or advice? There has only been one person, that I am aware of, that has walked this earth without ever making a mistake or ever using bad judgement and that is Jesus Christ. Let those without sin ... [Edited by LAUDERDALE on 2-20-03 12:35P]

Whether it was a slam or not is not my concern with my post. Thats not my call (although I do agree with Coach Logsdon, who showed alot of class in his statements in the Chattanooga Paper). A champion wrestler puts everything he has into his quest to be number one. When you give it everything you have and suffer a set back, especially like this one, emotions will be high. This message is for Scooter Houston the man. I know Scooter that you are feeling like you were screwed by the ref. You are no the first to feel that way and you will not be the last. Talk to Craig Johnson about his finals match when he was a JR. He felt the same way you do. There is nothing you can do about the past, all you can do is learn from it and don't repeat it. All you can do is focus on the future. I have known Scooter Houston and his family for many years. Scooter, Chaunci, and Jarrod our tremendous young men, who I am very proud to say that I know. They have always treated me and my wrestlers with the utmost respect (even when they were put a hurt on them). The boys always carry themslves in this way because this is the way they were brought up. Mr and Mrs Houston are tremndous people and even greater parents. Scooter has always been a Yes Sir / No Sir person. He is a true competitor in every sense of the word and maybe the best athlete Jefferson County H.S. has ever had. Scooter there are people who have posted messages on this thread wanting the TSSAA to ban you from wrestling next year. It is easy to see why they want that. If you are not on the mat, that means they will not have to face you. If you don not wrestle that makes their road a lot easier. Do not give these people that satisfaction. Come back and win it all! Use the negative as a positive the propells you to that top spot on the podium. You can do it! You know it! I know it! DO NOT GIVE THESE PEOPLE WHAT THEY WANT! Scooter I will tell you the same thing that I told Craig Johnson after his finals match in 97 ( I know some of you will post that the call against Craig was a good call, but that doesn't mean Craig didn't feel the same way Scooter does now). When wrestling a match at this tournament, you have to control the issue and the outcome of the match. You can't let the Ref become a part of. When you have a kids back on the mat for 2 seconds then there is no doubt. When you come back next year leave no doubt in every match you wrestle. One last thing. Scooter I know that the way you reacted was not the Scooter Houston that I know. Everybody makes mistakes and this was one for you. I was glad to hear that you came back and made amends to the Coaches and Fans of Bradley County. Most guys would not have done that but your parents have taught you better. Turn this Negative into a Positive!

Details are being worked out. We will post the info on our Tennessee AAU Web Site ( http://aau.tnmat.net ); on www.tennwrestling.com, and on coacht.com. We will also print up some flyers to hand out at the Tennessee AAU and Tennessee USA events. This event is a good thing. The time has come to work together to improve our sport in Tennessee. [Edited by LAUDERDALE on 2-19-03 8:15P]

How has the division of wrestling schools effected wrestling in the state of GA? Has more schools picked up the sport? Are there more kids wrestling now campared to before the division? Larger schools do have the advantage of a larger population of athletes to choose from. Look at it this way. How many 103 pound wrestlers can defeat a 171 pound wrestler? Yeah, you may have that 1 in a million kid that could, but 99 % of the time, the 171 lber will win. There is the answer. Why have 14 state champions? Why not just have 1? Look at the lessons all those 103 lbers will learn from all those 171, 189, 215, and 275 lbers. *The only kid that I can think of from Tennessee that weighed that light (98 lbs) that could compete against 171 lbers was Michael Bowerman from Cleveland. He was a 1 in a million wrestler.

The 8thAnnual Tennessee AAU All-American Wrestling Camp will be our best ever. Here is a list of the camp instructors who will be in attendence: Derek Delporto: All-American HWT from Slippery Rock and Current Assist. Coach at Cornell Univ. Jared Frayer: 3X NCAA All-American from Oklahoma Univ.; Currently in training for the 2004 Olympic Team; Winner of the Dave Schultz Memorial and Canadian Cup Freesyle Championships; this will be his 3rd Tennessee AAU Camp. Michael Lightner: 2001 NCAA Champion; Multiple NCAA All-American; Currenlty in training for the 2004 USA Olympic Team. Josh Lambrecht: 2X NCAA All-American from Oklahoma Univ.; 2nd in NCAA's in 2002. This will be his 2nd Tennessee AAU Camp. Currently ranked number 3 in Nation at 184. Clint Wattenberg: Cornell Univ. 184 pounder; Currenlty ranked number 1 in Division I College polls in the 184 pound weight class. Craig Johnson: Current UTC 165 pounder; 2002 NCAA Tournament Qualifier; 2nd in SOCON in 2002; former TSSAA State Champion. other instructors to be named later. For more information concerning this camp, please send an e-mail to : SEAAUWRESTLING@AOL.COM

The Region II Wrestling Tournament was on Saturday and I could not make it to the service honoring and celebrating Coach White's life. However, my wife did attend and after I returned home, we started to talk about Coacher and stories that we remember. Coacher was one of the best men in my wedding. I can still remember him telling me how "both of us, he and I, had married above our heads!" We both coached at Maryville College. Coach was always up in the press box. One of our Offensive line coaches, who is about 6 foot 5 inches, was always up in the press box. Coach White stood 5 feet 5 or 6. We were all good friends. Before one home game at M.C., our O-Line Coach offered Coach White a high chair so he could see the field (all in good fun!). Man, you should have seen his eyes! He told me over the head phones of what had happened and I heard our O-Line Coach just hee-hawing! We would travel to Memphis to play Rhodes College. One year, we whipped them and I'll never forget Coacher, Phil Wilks, and myself riding home and singing Clarence Carter tunes. (Coacher didn't much care for my rifles and daisies -Guns and Roses- tape). Coach White was in the Air Guard with Seymour High School Head Football Coach Gary Householder. Coacher used to get the biggest kick out of giving Coach Householder a tough time about Seymour's schedule. He say, "Gary who did you all play last night, Saint Mary's School Girls." He would tell me with his eyes as wide open as they could possibly be, " Oh, Gary would just flat get tore up." And then he would laugh at getting Gary all wound up. Him and Gary were always good friends. Mike White understood that the art of coaching was not about wins and losses. Coach White taught me, through his words and actions, that Coaching is about building relationships. Relationships with your players and coaches. He said once you build a relatinship with a kid, there is nothing that a kid will not do for you. That kid will understand that his ability has no limits. A player will give you his all and you will give your all to him. He knew this. He practiced this! This is why he was a great coach. When I think of Coach White, a quote from Vince Lombardi concerning effort. " I firmly believe that any man's finest hour is that moment when he has worked his heart out in a good cause and lies exhausted on the field of battle, VICTORIOUS." Coacher, Your life was your finest hour! Coacher You were VICTORIOUS in life! Thank You for all that you gave me! And to use some of your own words: Coacher, Your a Jewel! Darrel [Edited by LAUDERDALE on 2-9-03 12:00P]

This is a sad day for Tennessee High School Football. Today Mike White, former Head Football Coach at William Blount High School passed away. I had the honor of playing for Coach White in one footbal game. It was the Blount County Shriners East-West All-Star game. I also had the privledge of coaching with Coach White at Maryville College during the late 1980's and early 1990's. I can honestly say, he was the best coach that I have ever played for and/or coached with. I can still hear the Coacher yelling, "good God almighty" and it still sends chills up my spine. Coacher I will never forget You and I will never forget all that you taught me about Coaching and the game of football. To his wife Susan and his children Mike, Nick, and Rachel, my prayers and the prayers of the Seymour High School Wrestling Team, are with you all. Mike White was a Great Coach and friend, but most of all Mike White was one heck of a Man! Big "D"

A wrestler by the name on Von Ridenour has a 4 second pin. I believe the year was 1982 and Von was wrestling for William Blount High School. He was wrestling a guy with a very bad case of cauliflower ear, threw a head lock on the guy and the rest is history. At the time it tied a national record for fastest pin. [Edited by LAUDERDALE on 1-22-03 12:53P] [Edited by LAUDERDALE on 1-22-03 12:54P]

I called Soddy H.S. on Thursday and the secretary told me that the tourney was cancelled.

I hope Carlos is a wrestler to watch this year!

Jordan Leen is an outstanding wrestler. More importantly, however, Jordan is an even more outstanding young man. He is a great representative of himself, his family, Coach Morgan, and Baylor School. Unlike alot of wrestlers who have enjoyed some success, Jordan doesn't flaunt it nor does he waste his time basking in the light of his past accomplishments. He keeps his eyes focused on the future and on the goals he has set for himself. Jordan if you are reading this don't let these guys get you rattled. Do not let them distract you from your goals. Thats what they are trying to do. You are too talented!You are too well coached! You are too strong a person, both mentally and physically, to let that happen! Good Luck Jordan!

I have a very dedicated female wrestler this year. We are wrestling in a another tournament on the same weekend as Soddy, and not going to the Soddy Tournament as a team. Could we send her and an assistant coach to the Soddy Tourney? What does the rules state?

The site of the AAU State Tourney will be Roane State Community College. Currently our TNAAUWRESTLING web site is under construction. This site will allow anyone to check out our schedule of events, tournament contact names/numbers, and dates of our camp next June. Our site will also allow anyone to register for AAU on line. It should be up and running within the next 2-3 weeks. Lauderdale

The athlete I was talking about is Bosken from Science Hill. He is very skilled. He is very aggressive. He is very focused. He is well coached. [Edited by LAUDERDALE on 10-27-02 8:45P]

I am sure, by now, that most of the high school wrestling coaches in Tennessee have been to the TSSAA Coaches and Officials rules meetings. Now we all know about the changes that have been made to and the soon to be implemented weight certification program. How do you all feel this will effect the Wrestling / Football relationship? Also, there are new guidelines/rules concerning the front headlock, one of my favorite series. Do you agree with the rule changes?

This is a great suggestion. Last year, Tennessee AAU sent kids to 4 National events: National Elem. Duals, the Ohio Tournament of Champions, the Iron Man World Championships, and the Junior Olympics. This year, Tennessee AAU is looking to put together a team similar to the one you are desrcibing. There are three events, for middle school and high school age wrestlers, that we are planning on sending teams to. They are: the Iron Man in Knoxville; the Disney Duals in Orlando, FL; and the Junior Olympics in Detroit. MI. We are also planning on sending some to the Ohio Tournament of Champions. Thanks for the suggestion. If you would like or if your child would like to compete in one of the events mentioned above as a member of Team Tennessee, please contact me at: seaauwrestling@chartertn.net If you would like more information and would like to get involved in Tennessee AAU, please attend our Fall meeting. The meeting will be held on October 27, 2002, at Seymour High School, at 2PM. Pizza and Drinks will be provided. If you need directions please e-mail me and I will get them to you. Darrel Lauderdale

Hey this kid is the real deal. He went to the J. Robbins Camp and wrestled all Summer. This guy is T O U G H and A G G R E S S I V E! He is not someone that people need to overlook.

SEYMOUR HIGH SCHOOL IS HOSTING A FR/JV EVENT ON 11/23. IF YOU ARE INTERESTED IN ATTENDING, PLEASE CONTACT COACH DARREL LAUDERDALE AT: 865-577-7081